


Toward Safe Harbors

by MarvelousMenagerie (HiddenOne)



Series: Imagine Tony & Bucky fills by hddnone [2]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: (on Hammer with Bucky), Alpha Bucky Barnes, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Cheating, M/M, Mpreg, Omega Tony Stark, Prince Bucky Barnes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-05
Updated: 2017-12-08
Packaged: 2019-02-10 20:12:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12919404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HiddenOne/pseuds/MarvelousMenagerie
Summary: ITAB prompt:On the run: Tony is an omega fleeing from his pissed off arranged royal fiancé (Tiberius? Hammer?) because he fell pregnant by his secret lover (Bucky) who's the Prince of the neighboring country. He has to stay one step ahead of his vengeful fiancé and the patrols from both kingdoms in the forest that straddles the two countries while Bucky (who heard through the grapevine what happened) rushes in from the other side with the few loyal friends that knew of them to find him before they all do.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted at the ImagineTonyandBucky tumblr.
> 
> Huge thank you to polizwrites (tumblr) / Politzania (AO3) for the wonderful beta!

“Nice of you to join me, darling.”

Tony snorts as he plops into his seat. “Is it?” he asks as he reaches for his cup. It is already filled with coffee, still steaming hot - thank you, Pepper - that he gulps down. At least someone is smart enough to not expect him to be on time for breakfast.

“Did you sleep well?” Hammer asks across from Tony. There’s room for more than a dozen people at the table, but only Tony has been summoned to breakfast with the king - an honor.

Tony shrugs off the question. In truth, he hadn’t yet slept, but he has no desire to continue the small talk. He also avoids raising his head so that he doesn’t have to face either Hammer’s  forced smile or possibly a pout. Obie’s going to hear about Tony’s attitude and give him hell, but right now Tony is too exhausted to care about a lecture that will take days to manifest. Tony shoves a slice of fig into his mouth instead as an excuse not to talk.

“Do you like the fig?” Hammer asks. When Tony shrugs, Hammer continues, “They’re a delicacy, you know. Rare. I asked for them special, just to give you a taste.”

Tony forces a small smile. He’s fine with figs, sure, but he’s trying not to eye the sausage on Hammer’s plate with too much longing. Another fun side effect of eating with the king - while Tony’s breakfast is plated and ready for him, ever-so-convenient, it’s a proper omega breakfast consisting of an egg, a dollop of yogurt, and fruit. Only the coffee, that a servant steps forward to refill, keeps Tony awake and aware right now.

Hammer natters on about his breakfast, about the weather, about how he slept, about his meetings today, about whatever floats into his head as Tony merely hums and nods and shrugs when asked a direct question.

“I have a meeting with a delegation today. I wish I could tell you the details - very exciting, lots of great opportunities for the kingdom - but I’d hate to spoil the surprise,” Hammer boasts.

Tony has been lulled into the false sense of security that is boredom, and so he reacts too late when Hammer reaches out and snatches his hand. Hammer’s fingers encircle his wrist, fingers stroking the underside, and Tony freezes in place as he stares Hammer down.

“I think we should move up the date of the wedding,” Hammer declares, a tiny smile dancing at the corner of his lips. He leans forward and has to drag Tony’s hand toward him to get in position to kiss the skin of Tony’s inner wrist. “I don’t think I could stand to wait through another one of your heats. You smell so good, darling. It should be coming up soon again, right?”

A wave of freezing cold washes over Tony. “No, it’ll be awhile yet,” he forces out calmly, sitting rigid in his seat as his arm is extended out over the table.

Hammer hums and rubs his lips against Tony’s skin again. Tony suppresses a shudder but doesn’t drop eye contact. A challenge, a dare - Hammer nips the skin of Tony’s wrist and Tony drops his gaze, intentionally losing so this showdown will be over. Message received: Hammer will see this wedding through, no matter how Tony tries to make himself an unattractive mate.

Hammer’s grip on Tony’s wrist relaxes, and Tony claims his hand back. He rubs at it, trying to remove the feeling of teeth. “You need to go get ready for your meeting,” Tony says.

“And you have a wedding to plan,” Hammer replies with a gracious smile.

Tony gives him a grin, enough of one so that with a flick of his fingers Hammer dismisses him from the table.

Tony walks away and pretends it’s not a retreat.

Once Tony reaches his rooms, he sends a servant to summon Pepper before he starts pacing.  Pepper, as a beta, is supposedly no threat to Hammer’s claim and allowed to be in a room alone with him - and Tony can’t have anyone who would spread rumors around for this conversation.

“Something you need, Omega Stark?” Pepper asks, the servant still behind her, listening, as they close the door. Her eyebrows are drawn, concerned, as she takes in his pacing.

Tony restrains himself until the door is finally closed, the servant left on the outside, before he blurts out, “How long has it been?”

“Since you’ve dragged me away from my job? Yesterday,” Pepper answers, but she smooths out her skirt and perches on the seat of an armchair. Tony should feel guilty, pulling her away from the hundreds of details she needs to oversee as steward of the castle, but mostly he’s just grateful that she’s staying.

“Since my last heat. How long has it been?”

Pepper raises an eyebrow, the only chastisement that he’ll receive (at the moment) for expecting her to remember this. “Well, it overlapped with those trade port negotiations, right? I remember His Majesty had been very worried about hosting them here and almost canceled.” Another raised eyebrow, another subtle admonishment, because they both know Tony extends his ‘heat’ a few days to be able to avoid social events - and this is one Pepper had been preparing for for months. “That would’ve been two, almost three months ago. Why?”

Tony’s mind streams a list of curses as Pepper corroborates his own memory. He tosses out a redirect.  “His Kingliness wants the wedding moved up.”

“To  _when_?” Pepper gasps, her hands clenching in her skirt.

“Soon as possible, I think. I imagine he will be coming by sometime soon to ask you when that could be,” Tony answers, his mind racing on a different track.

His last heat had been nothing more than a quick flash, a pseudo-heat. It had hit suddenly, unexpectedly, but Tony had dragged it out to be able to avoid Hammer and enjoy the bonus alone time. Well - not entirely alone.

* * *

  _“You’re trespassing,” Tony admonishes. He hides his smile and grips the rim of his bathtub more tightly to prevent him from doing something stupid, like throw himself at his visitor._

_Tony never knows how he gets in, it’s like he invents a new way every time and suddenly appears where he wasn’t before._

_“I think you have to be unwanted to be trespassing,” Bucky replies, his voice low. He steps across the stone floor without making a sound._

_Tony’s heart kicks and he feels an ache in his chest. He needs, he needs, and he can’t keep up this coy pretense. He reaches his hand out, arm dripping water, and whatever is on his face has Bucky shucking his clothes and slipping into the tub on top of Tony._

_The words, ‘I’ve missed you,” are whispered softly in his ear, and Tony kisses Bucky quiet while he lets his hands roam. He checks, catalogs. There’s a small scar on Bucky’s thigh that wasn’t there before that Tony will ask about later but for now, for now…he whines._

_“Shh, doll. I’ve got you.”_

_For now, it’s good that Tony cultivated a reputation of long baths._

* * *

 “Where did the figs come from?” Tony says, interrupting Pepper’s vocal listing of all the things that would need to be done for a royal wedding - especially since Tony has done nothing for it.

“What?”

“I had figs for breakfast. Where did they come from?” Tony repeats. Hammer wasn’t wrong, figs were rare due to their more temperate climate.

“I don’t know,” Pepper exclaims, too loud. She covers her face with her hands, breathes deep, and then pulls her hands away and says more composed, “I’m sorry. I don’t know, Tony. I can -”

“Not important,” Tony waves her off. “I’ll have someone ask the chef or something. It was just a thought; don’t worry about it. I’m good. Sorry,” he says, packing as much into that apology as he can. Sorry I’m stressing you out, sorry I’m not helping, sorry this entire thing is such a mess - sorry.

It doesn’t feel good enough, but Pepper steps forward to give him a hug.

“I have to go do… a lot of things,” she says. “I’m sorry, Tony. I appreciate the warning about the wedding. I will push it back as far as I can manage,” she offers, because she is a fantastic friend.

“I love you,” Tony sighs and gives her a weak smile.

“You better.” She kisses his cheek and then takes a deep breath before her composure settles again. “Will that be all, Omega Stark?”

“That will be all, Beta Potts.”

With hands clenched in her skirts and spine straight, Pepper leaves to go whip the household into shape. Tony stays, paces.

He can’t tell her. He trusts Pepper with his life, but telling her would risk her own. Telling anyone would risk their life, if they knew and didn’t tell the king immediately.

Tony stops at the window and stares out. The leaves are just starting to turn on the trees down in the courtyard. Putting together a winter wedding means horrible traveling conditions, and potentially exhausting their food stores before spring. A spring wedding risks not being able to put together an elaborate enough royal wedding, and a summer wedding would be hot and humid torture. A wedding next fall is still too soon, but Tony would bet it’s too far away for Hammer.

Married before his next heat? Tony shifts his hands to his stomach. They should’ve been married two weeks ago, then, because that’s when Tony’s heat should have started. Apparently that pseudo-heat hadn’t been as fake as he’d thought.


	2. Chapter 2

“You going to tell me what this is about?” Rhodey asks as he hands over the satchel. They have a few onlookers, down in the courtyard, because Rhodey is an alpha. Even a respectable alpha who is captain of the guard can’t be trusted with such an alluring omega - or something.

“Do I smell different to you?” Tony asks as he takes a peek. The wheat and barley seeds seem innocent enough, but they make his stomach swoop anyway. He closes the bag.

Rhodey sniffs. “Not from here,” he finally declares, but neither of them dare step closer.

Tony wishes he could have Rhodey smell his wrist, where Hammer’s lips were only yesterday morning, but that would be improper enough to get Rhodey in actual trouble. Already they toed the line, just with their meeting. Obie had already tried several times to talk Tony out of staying friends with an alpha below his station.  

“Tones…” Rhodey calls out softly so it doesn’t carry.

“I’m fine, sugarplum,” Tony replies, pasting a smile on his face. “Thank you for helping me out with some experiments.” He tosses Rhodey a handful of gold coins. Tony knows enough about market prices to know that he’s overpaying, but maybe others will assume he doesn’t. Those coins won’t be missed from the Stark coffers, anyway.

Rhodey catches them, rolling his eyes after he counts them, but he’s still frowning at Tony.

“I hope that’s enough for your trouble,” Tony replies, holding back the wink because he needs to avoid giving Hammer a reason to call on him and complain.

Rhodey gives him a searching look before bowing. “I’m happy to be of service, Omega Stark.”

Tony nods and leaves the courtyard. He has his favorite servant, Happy, cart some dirt up to his rooms. Tony had converted one of the sitting rooms in his suite into a workshop of sorts, and he scatters dirt and seeds about in play of some agricultural experiment.

He can even go on about sowing seeds and practicing his nurturing skills or some such crap for Hammer, if it ever comes up. He’ll have to think up something more substantial if Obie comes to the palace, though. A two day trip from the northeastern district that contains their lands - the noble title is officially Tony’s, but Obie is the one who manages it - should give Tony warning and time to prepare. Obie knows that Tony should (and does) have little interest in agriculture and growing things. Stark designs supply the entire armory of the kingdom, and they come from Stark mines and Stark forges. Mining, smelting, smithing - what his lands are known for and do very well at - are Tony’s interests and area of expertise.

The rest of the seeds, a solid handful of mixed wheat and barley, get their own tray without any dirt. He stares them down. So much potential for growth, for life, all contained down in innocent looking golden pods and yet they make Tony’s stomach squirm. He takes one deep breath, two - and then unbuckles his pants to pee on the seeds.

Once the task is completed, Tony stacks another tray on top to hide the evidence and then scurries from the room.

Tony swears he can smell a change in his scent one minute, and then the next the smell is gone. His stomach is constantly twisting, but he has yet to vomit. He’s tired, but that may only be his racing mind keeping him up at night. When he falls asleep, he dreams that fields of grain are sprouting in his workshop and overgrow the palace.

The next day, he pulls out the tray, pees on the seeds, and stashes it again.

The next day, again.

And again. He leaves the windows cracked open in the room for hours afterwards to stop the rank smell from permeating everything. He curses whoever came up with this stupid test. There has to be a better way to determine if he’s pregnant than by seeing if his urine will cause seeds to sprout. He can’t imagine his mother ever doing this, after all, but it’s not like he can ask.

On the fifth day, he takes a deep breath and forces himself to look at the tray more than the half-second it takes to aim properly. Yesterday’s urine pools at the bottom, soaking the seeds to a dark brown. Tony’s heart feels like it’s going to beat out of his chest as he notices that some of the seeds have tiny, pale shoots.

The seeds are sprouting. He’s pregnant. 

Tony shoves the tray away. His hands flutter to his stomach, an action becoming a habit he’s going to need to break. Or not - he’s rapidly running out of time, if he’s around three months along. Tony traces along his waist, and he doesn’t have much space left before the seamsters are going to notice his weight gain.

He wants it, is the problem. He wants this child. He wants to hold them, to rock them to sleep, to kiss them goodnight and good morning. He wants to know whether they will have his unruly brown curls, to know if they will have their father’s blue eyes. He wants to know if they will laugh like their father, if they’ll wrinkle their nose like their mother, if they’ll be clumsy or smart or funny or all of the above.

* * *

_“Tony!”_

_Tony pretends he doesn’t hear the whisper and keeps walking. A hand grabs him and he’s yanked to the side, inside the stables. He stumbles over clods of dirt and patches of hay until he’s pulled back into a corner._

_“What’s wrong with you?” Tony hisses. His heart races, moreso because he’s staring into bright blue eyes than because of the yanking. Bucky looms above him, the heat of his body sinking into Tony._

_Bucky brushes the hair out of his eyes and grins. “What, this isn’t fun for you anymore? Come on, cheer up. I even brought you a present.” He shoves several lumps into Tony’s hand._

_Tony brings them closer to his face, and the rocks Bucky brought him glisten in the faint light._

_“They’re different,” Bucky volunteers, smug. “Some new metal that came into market. They found it in the rocks around the volcanoes on the island. Neat, huh?”_

_Something in Tony’s chest squeezes tight. “Wow,” he says, forcing the words out of his narrowed air passage. “I - Bucky. Wow.” He wants to cry and settles for clenching the metal ore in his fist. All the new discoveries that Bucky gets to see, every day, with the sea ports open for trading in a way that Tony’s landlocked kingdom never will be._

_“What’s wrong? Don’t you like it? Steve thought it was kind of stupid, but he suggested flowers so there was no way I was going to listen to him.”_

_Tony tugs Bucky down by the back of his neck and kisses him. Bucky folds himself around Tony, and Tony memorizes every touch, every taste. He takes and takes and takes from Bucky’s mouth until finally he pulls back, panting._

_“Tony, Tony,” Bucky breathes, lips brushing Tony’s on his words, “I can’t wait until I can take you home with me.”_

_Tony wishes he could shove those words back into Bucky’s mouth. He takes a breath._

_“The king chose his mate,” Tony whispers, not brave enough to open his eyes. He can’t take in Bucky’s face right now, he can’t handle it. “It’s not announced yet, but he’s chosen.”_

_Bucky chuckles. “Well good luck to them. Whoever that is is going to need it.”_

_Tony’s breath freezes in his lungs._

_“Tony?”_

_“Me. He chose me.”_

_Silence settles between them, and Tony opens his eyes to see Bucky looking confused._

_“Is this a joke?”_

_“No. Bucky, I’m serious. He chose me.”_

_Bucky recoils, and Tony clenches his fists so that he doesn’t reach out. The chunks of ore dig into the palm of Tony’s right hand, but he welcomes the pain._

_Is this what he had looked like, when he realized Hammer was serious? Face twisted, broken? Tony as a mate to the king - that had been a laughable option, despite Obie’s big dreams. He hadn’t seen it coming._

_And now Bucky was stuck here for another two days in meetings and talks and visits while pretending that nothing was wrong. Tony should have lied. Better that Bucky was back at home when he heard the news, better that he could lock himself away and break things, or sleep with someone else if need be, even if Tony ached to think about it._

_Bucky takes a half-step toward him, face twisted. “No…Tony?”_

_A plea that Tony should reject. He’s engaged to the king, now. This can’t continue, and it’s even worse that Bucky is a prince - no matter that it’s of an ally nation - except that Tony can’t stand the idea of a future with Justin Hammer instead of Bucky. He drags Bucky back to him. These moments now have an expiration date, and he was wrong, wrong to ignore Bucky before. Tony needs as much of Bucky as he can get before time runs out._

_Bucky’s eyes are wide and his hands shake as he cups Tony’s face in his hands._

_“Stay,” Tony breathes out, hating himself. “Please just…don’t leave. Stay with me, alpha. Please.”_

* * *

Tony wants this child.

Hammer will kill it, without question. He may spare Tony, depending on his mood, but he will definitely kill the child. Hammer will also ask for the name of the alpha responsible, and if Tony refuses to give it he will start executing all the alphas who have ever been in Tony’s vicinity - starting with Rhodey, no doubt. And if Tony names Prince James Barnes as alpha, there will be war.

Tony rubs his stomach. He stares out the window, not seeing the people scurrying around the courtyard, not seeing the colors turning in the tree leaves, not seeing the sunlight reflecting off the roof tiles.

Tony tries to see his options as he stands and stares and thinks.


	3. Chapter 3

Tony smiles. He attends meetings. He laughs. He replies to Obie’s missives. He dances. He dines with the king.

He tells Pepper that he’s fallen in love with the idea of orange as a primary color for his wedding. Yes, even though it’s a winter wedding.  _Orange_ , Pepper!

He gives Rhodey a new sword, custom tailored. Tony inscribed ‘One Over All’ into the hilt, as a threat and a promise, and it’s proven so when Rhodey wins his first bout against another guard.

He threatens Happy with getting a dog, one that he would put Happy in charge of overseeing. Then, after looking properly tragic, Tony gives Happy the day off - with instructions to go sneak off with that maid in the East Wing.

Then one afternoon, Tony declares that he would like to go for a real swim in the lake. It’s a hot day, one of the last heat spikes before fall completely sets in, and Tony thanks whatever powers that be for the timing.

An entire party is gathered, including the king. Tony breathes and smiles as more and more nobles and servants and guards join them. Finally, the group is gathered, and they head to the lake. Hammer plans on dragging food and more servants out later, so that they can have a picnic, and that occupies him as they ride out. Tony distracts himself by chatting with Alpha Janet Van Dyne, a noblewoman of the southern district, even if she’s primarily interested in details of the wedding.

The lake shimmers into view, and Tony smiles. He and Bucky had snuck off many times to spots around this lake, just the two of them, where they could wash each other’s scents off and dry in the sun.

Now, he arrives with Hammer at his side. 

Tony invites Hammer on a walk through the clearing first before they cool off in the lake. It’s a more secluded area, though still passes the measure of propriety by being able to be seen by those on the lakeshore. As Tony expected, Hammer eagerly agrees.  

“Wouldn’t these be gorgeous for the wedding?” Tony asks as he leans over and picks one of the daisies popping up.

“Daisies?” Hammer asks, his lips thin. “Darling, we can do better than some common field daisies, hm? You’re marrying the king, after all,” he finishes with a grin.

“I like these,” Tony replies, voice light. He picks several more as Hammer circles. Tony tries to ignore his skin buzzing with Hammer two steps too close for normal convention.

“They can’t be the only flower you like,” Hammer prompts.

Tony lets the silence stretch for several moments as he stands back up and sniffs the daisy, all for show. “No, they aren’t,” Tony finally answers. After all, it would be difficult for Pepper to find fresh daisies during winter, the date of the wedding now set. “But I do like them,” he repeats as he sticks one of the daisies behind his ear. He clutches a bouquet more of them loose in his hand.

“Of course, darling. They’re just…everywhere. I want our wedding to be the event of the century! Daisies won’t get us there.”

Tony lips twitch. Sometimes he thinks the most difficult part of Pepper’s job is attempting to control Hammer’s poor taste. “It will be unforgettable, I’m sure.”

“The event of the century,” Hammer repeats with fervor. He grabs Tony’s empty hand and brings it to his mouth, kissing the inside of Tony’s wrist.

Tony buries his face in his bouquet of daisies to avoid needing to respond to Hammer’s attempt at seduction. Then, he declares it’s time for that swim.

Back at the shoreline, Tony holds back a grin as he reveals his swimsuit. He had chosen a conservative one piece - perfectly acceptable omega-wear in the mixed company of their group. It also serves to successfully disguise the growing bump of his stomach, but Tony enjoys the disappointment on Hammer’s face as he sees it. It isn’t like Tony has been known for following societal expectations, as he’s certainly been caught in worse.

Tony wades into the water, and then he lets himself enjoy the lake. He swims and smiles and laughs as he moves from cluster to cluster of people. He plays host, pointing out birds in the trees, reeds where sometimes turtles are found, the cluster of rocks great for jumping off.

The sun ticks over the sky and it gets closer and closer to dinner time. A few people start exiting the water, feeling chilled. Tony’s chest pounds, his heart beating faster.

He departs from one group with a smile and wave, leaving them laughing at a joke he’d told. He moves purposefully toward another, a fair distance away. Tony checks, and Hammer is lounging on shore, talking, with his head turned away from Tony.

Tony takes a deep breath and dives underneath the surface, for once being thankful for how murky the water is this late in the season. He kicks, claws, strains, the air burning in his lungs as he strives to change direction and reach a pile of rocks yards beyond the swimming area.

The rocks appear, suddenly visible in the dark water, and Tony almost bashes his face against them before he crawls around to the other side. He surfaces, slowly, trying to gasp for air as quietly as possible as he surveys his surroundings. No one wandered down this way, he notes with relief, with this group of rocks between him and the rest of the swimming party.

Tony sucks in a few deep breathes, letting his burning lungs recover. He may have underestimated the difficulty of his plan, given the complication of his pregnancy. At the very least, his child should be an excellent swimmer after this.

He pulls a daisy from a pocket he’d put on the inside of his swimsuit, and he rips off the head. He takes a practice breath through the hollow stem to check that it’s unobstructed.

Clear.

Next, his destination. He can barely see the stream running out of the lake all the way at the other end, but he’s seen it on the maps. It would be safer to make his way there along the shore, but the shortest route is through the middle of the lake. Tony needs every second he can get before he’s noticed as missing, so with the help of the daisy stem he thinks he can make it. If he drowns, too exhausted to make it, well then… what he hopes everyone will assume will actually be true.

With one last deep breath, Tony ducks back underwater. He pushes off the rocks behind him with a strong kick, arms cutting the water in front of him as he aims for the opposite shore.

* * *

 

_“You’d love the sea,” Bucky comments as he flicks grass at Tony._

_Tony thinks about reaching down to the shoreline and grabbing some mud to throw back at Bucky, but he’s too comfortable laying on his sun-warmed rock._

_“You tell me that I’d love a lot of things about your kingdom,” Tony teases as he stretches. “Is this your version of a marriage offer, or are you just rubbing it in my face?” The question is laughable because Bucky is surprisingly unspoiled for a prince. It matches well with Tony who is surprisingly spoiled for only being a noble’s son. A noble whose mining and blacksmithing supply the entire kingdom’s armory and a solid half of the machinery, but still - only a noble._

_“What if it is? An offer?”_

_Tony turns and blinks at Bucky, but he can’t tell if Bucky is joking or not. “Well, it’s terrible,” he blurts._

_Bucky stares at him, his eyes dark, and Tony freezes like he’s pinned._

_“I want to take you swimming in the sea,” Bucky starts, his voice hoarse but then strengthens. “I want to show you the markets where the ships come in, filled with new things neither of us have seen before. I want to show you the cliffs, where we can dive off and scream the entire way down.” Bucky crawls onto the rock, on top of Tony. “I want to argue with you about how to tax the rich without causing a rebellion. I want to hear your thoughts on the mining strategies in Brookland. I want…I want…”_

_“You want a lot of things,” Tony comments, mouth dry, as Bucky hovers above him. His skin buzzes, everywhere, waiting for a touch, but Bucky doesn’t close the final gap._

_“Yes.”_

_Tony licks his lips. The question hovers between them, unasked. What does Tony want?_

_When he was ten, he wanted to go home and not be stuck in the palace trying to make political friends with the future king. When he was twelve he wanted the authority to punish people who thought he was a weak omega. When he was fifteen he wanted to be left alone with the recent shipment of iron ore and test out his designs. When he was eighteen he wanted his parents to stop talking about marriage prospects and specifically King and Alpha Justin Hammer who is a royal idiot._

_Now, at twenty, Tony wants… someone to go swimming with, someone who will debate new ideas, someone who understands the expectations of legacy and responsibility. He wants… someone who looks at him the way Bucky does._

_Tony wants._

_He tilts his head back on the rock, his chin lifting to expose his throat. A show of trust, and Bucky accepts it by laying hot, open-mouthed kisses down the column. Bucky can’t leave a mark, not yet, and Tony’s mind already races with proposals and negotiations to somehow convince Bucky’s parents, royalty, to let their son choose Tony as a mate._

_“Tony,” Bucky breathes as he settles on top of Tony, Tony’s hands going to his waist so that Bucky’s hips line up precisely where Tony wants them. Bucky reaches around and squeezes the glands on the back of Tony’s neck, hard._

_Tony writhes in Bucky’s hold, where the grip on his neck sends sparks of pleasure shooting into his brain and the mouth on his neck sends them to his groin. Then Bucky runs a firm, possessive hand down Tony’s chest, back up his ribs, down his arm, until Bucky is tugging on Tony’s wrist._

_Bucky brings Tony’s wrist up to his mouth. “Mine,” he whispers against the skin before he bites down hard enough to leave an impression of his teeth on Tony’s reddened skin._

_“Alpha,” Tony submits._

* * *

Tony makes it to the other side of the lake. There are a few panic-inducing moments: a duck darting by next to him, it’s white body flashing through the dark water and almost giving him a heart attack; he dropped his breathing tube of a daisy stem and had to dig around for his spare while his lungs screamed; there was a moment where his legs ached, his arms hurt, his body demanded air, and Tony saw his odds of a watery grave increase exponentially.

But Tony makes it, his body catching in the current of the river. He lets himself be pulled into it and has to hold himself back from taking a deep, lungful of air at the surface until he’s at least a bend away from the lake.

The party has to have realized he’s missing by now and are probably searching. At least Pepper, Rhodey, and Happy were busy with their duties and didn’t make the invite list. They don’t have to search for his body in the lake and argue whether Tony, a generally capable swimmer, could drown with so many people around.

His heart burns, more than oxygen-deprivation accounts for, at leaving them behind. But Tony chooses this child - he knows they would understand if he could’ve told them - and he chooses to avoid war. The river will carry him east, toward Bucky but more importantly toward the sea ports. New ships from far-off places arrive everyday, according to Bucky, so Tony should be able to talk his way onto one of them at least. A new start where no one knows his name, face, or story. Hammer can think he’s dead, Bucky can move on, and Tony can raise his child.

Tony doesn’t realize the river is a mistake until it’s too late.

The map at the palace library hadn’t noted anything to be concerned about between the lake and sea. It narrowed and widened and twisted and turned and Tony had been counting each bend. But someone had decided that rapids weren’t concerning enough to mention or were too lazy to draw them in or something because they certainly hadn’t been on any map Tony had seen.

He swims for the side, but the current drags him back to the center and he’s moving downstream too fast. He turns and tries to stop himself on an oncoming rock, but after he bashes into it the current rips him away, his grip no match for the pull.

Tony rams into boulder upon boulder, his body bruising, not able to keep a grip on a single one of them. He can’t fight the current. He can barely manage to breathe air into his screaming lungs when he’s above the surface.

There’s a sharp pain in his skull, and then blackness.

Tony wakes and he feels nothing. It’s as if his head has floated off his body, completely unattached and not receiving any signals.

Something presses into his cheek, then stops. Press, stop. Press harder, then stop. Press even harder, and then Tony’s sense of self - and accompanying sense of pain - comes rushing back to him.

He groans and tries to flinch from the pain, but now the pain is everywhere. His head aches, his arms ache, his chest aches, his stomach aches. He still can’t feel his legs and the panic that follows that thought gets Tony moving.

His legs splash in the water, and Tony slumps back into the mud. His legs are cold, numb with it, and now that he’s confident that they’re still attached to his body, he lets them be the only relief from pain that his body is currently experiencing.

“Whoa - you’re alive?”

Tony turns to the voice, slowly, achingly. A kid resolves into focus as his eyes blink grit and mud away.  When he first tries to speak, he coughs out mud.

“You’re not going to keel over right in front of me, are you?”

“No,” Tony manages to gasp out. He takes another moment to ask his body if he is, actually, dying. Probably not, he decides is the response. “I’m fine.”

“Are you a murderer?” the kid asks. “My mom says I shouldn’t talk to strangers because they could be criminals. If you’re a thief that’s okay, though, because we don’t have anything worth stealing. My mom would probably get mad at me if you killed me, though. And then there wouldn’t be anyone to take care of my sister.”

“I haven’t murdered anyone,” Tony sighs out as he attempts to crawl out of the river. Time to experience full-body pain.

“…and then I wouldn’t be there to talk to her, or play with her, or tell her a story when she asks. I mean, Mom can get really busy so..”

“Yet,” Tony continues with a glare as the kid rambles on.

The kid, of course, doesn’t take the hint.

“Were you trying to kill yourself? What were you doing in the river?”

Tony sighs and flops down onto the bank, his entire body now up on the grass rather than in mud or water. The kid trails him, curious, and Tony really wishes he didn’t have a witness to this shining moment. What is he going to do now? Because he is not getting back in that river without a boat and a much better map.

“Just out for a swim,” Tony answers as he contemplates his next step. There has to be a village where the kid came from, right? How far is he from the lake? Can he risk being seen by more people? He presses his stomach, his lower abs. Bruised, definitely, but it doesn’t seem too deep… he hasn’t lost the baby, has he?

“That was stupid of you,” the kid answers. “Are you sure you aren’t that runaway omega all the guards are looking for?”

Tony stills. “What are you talking about?”

“It was all over town this morning,” the kid answers, and now Tony knows he’s lost too much time. He isn’t far away enough yet. “The king’s omega went missing recently and everyone’s supposed to be out looking for him. Some said he drowned at the lake, but there’s a rumor that he ran away. My omega wouldn’t explain, but she said it was a scandal.”

Tony breathes out a very, very long breath. It’s possible that the seamstresses had started to talk, or maybe someone noticed his agriculture experiment? Tony had disposed of the sprouted seeds, but maybe someone had heard and put the pieces together?

“You’re him, aren’t you?” the kid continues.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Tony tries, and it’s even a half-truth. “Where even is this lake?”

“That way,” the kid answers, pointing upstream. “Except no one goes that way, because of the rapids. They’d be an idiot to try it.”

“Huh,” Tony responds. “Well, I’m not an idiot, am I?”

“You kinda look like one,” the kid replies, analyzing Tony.

“Great. Thanks, kid.”

“I’m Harley,” the kid, Harley, replies. “You’re Omega Stark, aren’t you? And are you pregnant? Because you keep holding your stomach.”

Tony groans and hides his face.

* * *

_A line of soldiers lean against the fence that defines the practice battleground, and Tony squeezes into space next to a familiar face. Tony draws a quick glance and then a double take as Rhodey realizes who is jostling him.  
_

_“You shouldn’t be here,” Rhodey sighs._

_Tony grins. “What? Are you sending me away? After I made all this effort to come down and congratulate you on your newly made Captain-ness?”_

_Rhodey rolls his eyes, a smile tugs at the corner of his mouth when Tony elbows him. “Yeah it must’ve been a real hardship for you to come all the way down here to the grounds.”_

_“Terrible and treacherous. I barely made it alive,” Tony quips. Then he turns to watch the ongoing practice bout in the dirt ring and gives a low whistle. “Who is_  that?”

_Rhodey snorts. “Not one of ours. Came in with the guards for the Barnes family.”_

_“Have you faced him yet?” Tony asks as he takes in the muscles on the tall blonde._

_The fighter has a light sheen of sweat on his face - the same amount as Tony, who is only standing in the sun and spectating. Hammer’s guard doesn’t stand a chance, already panting, swinging heavy and wide._

_“Not yet. But I will,” Rhodey promises as they watch the foreigner end the bout in two more strokes._

_“Rather impressive for a short sword,” Tony calls out as the two fighters nod at each other._

_“Tony,” Rhodey hisses as the attention swings to their section._

_The foreign fighter eyes Tony, but then dismisses him and his comment to head back to his section._

_“I’m serious. Your sword is at least a hands’ width too short for you,” Tony calls out. The murmuring of the gathered soldiers swells as they start to recognize Omega Tony Stark rather than a random heckler._

_The fighter stills. “This was my father’s sword and I wear it with pride,” he warns._

_“I hope your father was shorter than you,” Tony answers._

_The fighter strides towards him despite warning calls from his friends. He gets even taller as he approaches, and Tony would bet a lot of money on his father being shorter._

_“Want to say that again on this side of the fence?” The guard asks, pointing at the ground with this sword._

_Tony hops over the fence and Rhodey follows after._

_“My apologies for my friend’s bluntness,” Rhodey says, placing a hand on Tony’s shoulder. “He’s a weapons designer and blacksmith. Sometimes he can’t control himself.”_

_“Apology retracted,” Tony says. “Rhodey, come on. You can see it as well as I can. His sword is too short for him.”_

_“My sword is fine,” the man argues._

_“Fine isn’t good enough,” Tony snaps. It’s one thing to let the enemies keep their weak spots, but the Barnes family and therefore their guards are allies. Tony has no reason not to talk this man into sensible weaponry._

_Another man jogs up to them, face set in a stern frown. “Steve…”_

_“I’m not - it wasn’t me. He started it,” Steve defends, shoulders hunching._

_“This is my fault now? You’re the one who is emotionally attached to your sword so you won’t get one properly sized. You’re the one who probably had the growth spurt so you’re taller than your father. Has no one told you this before? You should fire your armorer,”  Tony rants._

_The man gives Tony a second glance, than a third, longer look. Tony recognizes this look, a mix of curiosity and interest. What it doesn’t contain with this man, but usually does with those in Hammer’s kingdom, is a dose of disgust. The lack of it means Tony puts on a teasing smile rather than a snarl._

_Tony is rewarded with a grin and bright, sparkling blue eyes. Then those eyes look back at Steve and his sword._

_“Bucky…” Steve threatens as Bucky evaluates the pair._

_“Well, you are protecting me after all. I’d like to make sure you have all the tools needed to do so without getting your stubborn self killed,” Bucky replies._

_“Alpha Prince James,” Rhodey quickly identifies and then sketches a low bow._

_Tony follows suit, as etiquette dictates, but doesn’t hesitate to keep eye contact with the prince as he bows._

_“Interesting nickname for a prince,” Tony observes._

_Bucky grins. “I can tell you about it while your guard tries his hand against mine. See if Steve can prove you wrong.”_

_Tony masks a snarl by way of a sharp grin. “Captain Rhodes isn’t my guard, and I can back up my own claims. Rhodey, let me borrow your sword.”_

_Rhodey sighs and hands over his blade. Steve frowns, his lips pursed while Bucky’s eyebrows are raised._

_“I can’t -” Steve starts, but Tony doesn’t let him finish._

_“Come on, Blondie. Time to put your money where your mouth is.” Tony then turns to Bucky. “Unless you’d like to take his place, give him a breather?”_

_“Nah, Stevie can handle himself just fine,” Bucky replies smoothly, not taking Tony’s bait. “It’s his sword you’re fighting over, after all.”_

_“It might work better in your hands, given that you’re a bit shorter,” Tony comments blithely. Rhodey elbows him in the side for that comment, but Tony doesn’t regret it. Not when Steve gets that stormy expression on his face that guarantees he isn’t going to back out of the fight. Fighting an omega might be weird for him, but anyone who doesn’t show proper respect to his prince is okay to face off in the ring with - precisely as Tony guessed._

_Bucky, however, just grins, his blue eyes bright. “You wouldn’t judge all alphas by the size of their swords, would you?”_

_Then Bucky and Rhodey climb back over the fence and let Steve and Tony begin._

_Steve ends up winning, but Tony scores enough close calls that Steve at least listens as Tony explains how height and the length of the arm factor into how long a swordsmith should make a blade. When Bucky joins the conversation, Tony starts gesticulating more widely - Rhodey quickly recovers his sword - and turning on the charm._

_“Apparently I need to acquire you a Stark blade,” Bucky comments to Steve, but his blue eyes are boring into Tony._

_“I would be happy to talk about our services over dinner,” Tony replies. And he is proud of himself for not putting any untoward emphasis on ‘services,’ but apparently what he said is still enough to cause Rhodey to sigh._

_“I’d be delighted,” Bucky accepts with a grin._


	4. Chapter 4

Harley leads Tony back to his place. They’ll be alone, as his mother brought his sister to her job at the tailor shop in town and Harley’s father walked away from the family years ago. Harley shrugs when Tony tells him that it isn’t his smartest plan - bringing a stranger back to his home, alone.

“We don’t have much worth stealing and if you’re going to kill me then you’re going to kill me. Though I’m warning you, I have my slingshot.”

“Still kid - not smart,” Tony sighs.

Though Harley isn’t wrong about there not being much worth stealing. Their home is four walls of stacked rocks, built to last, but cracks can be seen through the mortar. The straw roof should’ve been replaced years ago. They have an old wood shed, where Tony is welcome to bunk the night according to Harley, but it’s much, much emptier of wood than it should be this close to winter.

Harley offers up a few horse blankets and Tony doesn’t ask whose bed they came from, because there’s no horse in sight or stable to keep one. Tony even gets to eat. He eats one of the last fish they had, which Harley was meant to replenish today at the river, baked using the small fire still going in the hearth.

The entire time, Harley talks and asks a million questions and Tony tries not to confirm anything about himself so that Harley can have plausible deniability.

“So why are you running away from the king? Don’t you get, like, showered in gold and food and stuff?”

“Okay, kid. Where’s your axe?” Tony deflects as he sucks the last bit of flaky flesh from the bones.

“Are you going to kill me with it? That sounds painful.”

Tony sighs. “I haven’t decided yet. But first I’m going to chop some wood and then see how I feel. So - where’s the axe?”

Tony’s body hurts. He needs rest and probably to see a doctor. He’s willing to admit that, at least inside his own head. Still, he can’t eat Harley’s food and take his blankets and put him at risk by aiding Tony’s treason while leaving Harley nothing in return, so he and Harley hunt down the axe.

The axe is duller than Hammer’s sense of humor, such that Tony’s surprised that Harley bothers to brag about all the wood he’s chopped with it. No one is going to believe him, and Tony points that out right away. He instructs Harley on finding a whetstone, and when that fails to turn one up, eventually they manage to find a rock that will work well enough.

Tony shows Harley how to sharpen the axe, with the proper safety procedures and everything. Pepper would be so proud.

Then Tony chops wood, having Harley drag logs to him and then cart away the splintered logs to stack in the shed. It’s not enough, not by a long shot, but they’ll be warmer for a few more days this winter at least.

Tony had meant to show Harley how to set traps for fish and snares for rabbits, but Harley’s already two steps ahead in that regard. Tony helps construct a few more to have extras on hand, but then moves onto instructing Harley the best dirt to water ratio to fill in the holes between the rocks in the wall so that it won’t crumble and fall out again.

Harley soaks it all in like a sponge and spits back out questions and commentary, such that Tony wishes he could drag Harley into one of his workshops and see what his mind could create with more resources. Miniature catapults that have mud hit the high spots on the wall, out of Harley’s reach, are only the beginning.

Tony ducks back into the shed when Harley’s mother and sister are due to arrive back, and he promptly falls asleep on the blankets.

Harley shakes Tony awake the next day, after his mother and sister have left again for the shop.

Tony groans and gives himself an extra moment to let his body tell him how angry it is at life before he levers himself to his feet. He shakes out the blanket before starting to fold it.

“You could stay, you know. If you want,” Harley offers with a shrug as he looks away.

Tony hides a smile and doesn’t pause. “Impressed with my chopping skills? You’ll learn.”

“It helped. So we won’t be as cold this winter,” Harley says as he wraps his arms around himself and pouts up at Tony.

“That means you need to get chopping,” Tony replies as he hands the square of blanket back over to Harley. Maybe he should remind Harley that if Tony is seen here, it would mean Harley’s entire family gets sentenced with aiding a traitor. This house will be warmer than jail, at least.

Tony decides not to bother reminding Harley of the trivialities. “Stay smart, kid,” he tells Harley, his voice warmer than he meant it to be. He ruffles Harley’s hair to dispel the emotion, and then takes off into the woods.

Harley had offered up enough information about the lay of the land for Tony to get a good feel for what direction to take. He decides not to try his luck by going through the rapids again, and he would’ve had to use the forest to sneak over the border into Bucky’s kingdom anyway. More woods, really, is his new plan. He hopes his ranger skills are better than what Rhodey says they are.

First, though, Tony risks heading to town though he avoids the more well-traveled roads.

Tripping over branches and getting snagged on bushes gets old fast, and Tony breathes out a sigh of relief when the town finally comes into view. He walks through the quiet back streets and snags a shirt drying on a clothesline. Tony slips it on over his current shirt and breathes a sigh of relief at the additional layer, adding warmth and a thin shield against his growing baby bump. Also now it’s no longer obvious that he’s wearing swim gear.

He continues farther into town, wondering if the tailor shop he passes is the one that Harley’s mother and sister work in. He spots the food stalls ahead, though, and continues forward.

The busier streets also contain guards, he discovers, and he ducks around a corner. Most of the guards are wearing the red and silver insignia of the crown, working for King Alpha Justin, but a few of those that patrol the streets are clothed in his own red and gold.

Stark guards, here? Why?

Tony considers leaving the town immediately, but then his stomach rumbles. He couldn’t bear eating more of Harley’s food, and at least here there look to be stalls doing well for themselves. The owners don’t look dirty and malnourished, at least.

Tony turns back onto the street, adopting the same tired stroll as most of the other shoppers. A few people brush past him with baskets half-full, racing to complete the morning errands, and Tony hangs back behind them. A few apples fall into his pocket while a woman haggles over the price of the half-bushel, and then a small section of cheese from the stall down the way, but Tony bypasses the bread as a guard hovers nearby, eyeing the wares.

Pockets heavy, Tony dodges past one last group of guards - who are eyeing a few omegas clustered in a doorway, rather than the crowd - before he lets his shoulders relax. He turns the corner, picking up his stride when he’s out of direct sight, when he hears a shout.

“Thief! Thief!”

Tony doesn’t tense, doesn’t turn, just keeps walking and heads for another corner and mentally plans his route out of the town.

A shove from the side has Tony stumbling and he whirls, ready to spring, but the man only runs past him and takes the corner Tony had planned on. Tony is already turning in the opposite direction, rejoicing for the perfect distraction, and then a kid darts by yelling “I got him!”

The kid turns the corner after the thief, and then a woman shouting, “Peter, no!”

Tony doesn’t see any guards yet - what are they  _doing_? - and the kid was small - what is he  _thinking_? - and Tony ends up cursing and racing around the corner to find the kid standing over the man laid out on the ground, smug as can be.

“Got you,” Peter brags, but then the man kicks out and Peter drops to the ground, hard.

They wrestle, Peter clinging on even as Tony hears Peter’s head slam against the ground with a crack. Tony rushes up and takes over, yanking the kid out of the way of an elbow to the face and tossing him to safer territory. Tony blocks a kick to his ribs and then twists away from a punch - and okay, now the man has a knife in his hand and the kid looks like he’s coming back for another round.

“Stay back!” Tony yells as he dodges another blow, the thief’s swings getting more and more wild. When the thief darts a glance at Peter and then takes a step toward him, Tony picks up his pace and then finally manages to connect an uppercut to the chin that knocks the man out.

“Kid. Seriously. What were you thinking?” Tony pants as he kicks the knife away and checks that the man isn’t playing dead (or actually dead, on that note).

“I had him,” the kid defends. “I mean, I did for a moment, there at the beginning. You saw that right? I had him - he was out on the ground and everything!”

“Yeah, sure, good job. Next time leave it for the guards. Or learn a few more moves,” Tony finishes with a sigh, seeing the stubborn jut of Peter’s chin.

Then Peter does a double-take, his eyes going wide. “O-Omega Stark?”

Tony tenses, a denial at his lips when the kid steamrolls right over it. “Oh wow! Seriously? What an honor to meet you in person, I mean, I saw your designs on the irrigation system over in Manhytten and they were amazing. You’re amazing, I mean, I mean, your stuff is amazing. Not just stuff, you know, they’re these great  _things_ and -”

“I got it, kid. Thanks,” Tony says, feeling flattered despite himself. “But, uh, given current circumstances, do you mind keeping this run-in quiet?” Though Tony doesn’t think that might be possible with this one.

“Of course!” Peter agrees, nodding so hard that Tony worries about his neck.

Then, “Peter!” the woman calls from the end of the street, and there are a group of guards behind her. Unfortunately, the guards are in Stark red and gold and recognize Tony immediately.

Tony flees down the street with calls of “Stop! Omega Stark, stop!” behind him.

Tony keeps running. He twists and turns at every opportunity, dodging people and carts and debris as he goes. Eventually the clanking footfalls and yells of his name fade from hearing, but Tony presses on until he’s finally back at the perimeter and throwing himself back into the forest.

Tony settles into a light jog, as fast as he can go while making sure he doesn’t trip over branches or break his ankle in a rabbit hole. Rhodey has told him enough stories about tracking - animals and people - for Tony to keep an eye out for rocky ground or water so he can hide his trail, but speed is his best ally.

How long will it take to muster a search party, one with someone experienced in tracking? How long until the news spreads, confirmation that he is alive and a traitor to the crown? Tony passes a hand over his stomach. Not obvious enough for the guards to have noticed, he thinks, or at least for any of the guards who care about the truth. Going into town had been a stupid risk.

Later that afternoon, though, Tony forgets all his regret about going into town as he bites into the hunk of cheese he had stolen. His stomach gurgles at the change, and Tony barely stops himself from wolfing down the entire bit. He’d go back and shower the cheese-maker in gold, if he could, and name them the best cheese-maker in the kingdom.

Afternoon turns into evening, and Tony pushes on. He walks through as many of the last few sun patches remaining, but eventually the coolness turns into cold. He begins to shiver, and Tony picks up a jog again despite the protest in his muscles to help warm them.

He hasn’t heard a tracking party, but would he? Tony darts a glance behind him, but sees nothing but trees and shadows.

No fire tonight, he knows, though the knowledge saddens him. No need to help his hunters find him, even if Tony had the energy to start a fire, even if Tony would really, really like to be warm. Instead, when Tony stops for the night he burrows down into the half-rotten roots of a dead tree still standing and shovels dirt over himself.

In the morning, he forces himself to get moving again. Eating the remaining cheese helps, except now he doesn’t have anything to look forward to. The apples still bouncing around in his pockets had never been his favorite fruit.

His stomach grumbles as he walks. His body aches with the treatment it’s received recently. His fingers are numb, still too cold, but Tony rests them on his stomach. His child, his child, his child. They had better be a sweet, easy-going baby after what is turning out to be a terrible pregnancy.

A child who never cries, shares all their toys, doesn’t talk back. Tony smiles at the image. The chances of his child being anything like that are slim, and even worse because of who their father is. He doesn’t even want a child like that, not really. He’d start with a child who is alive and happy, and hopefully one who doesn’t contract a hundred health issues because Tony can’t plan an escape properly.

He walks. Later he hears wolves - or maybe trained dogs - howling, and then he jogs. He sees no one, but he focuses more on the ground in front of him than behind. When he sees a stream, he walks in it until his feet are past numb with cold and he falls more than he moves forward.

Tony doesn’t sleep well that night.

In the morning, he presses on.

He eats his last apple.

He presses on.

Another night, another morning.

Tony presses on.

He hasn’t heard any barking. Has he lost them?

He presses on.

Maybe a fire is worth it. If he could be warm, if he could eat - he could stage a trap. He could confront them, if they found him. He could outmaneuver a couple of guards, right?

Tony considers this idea. Dying from exposure is better than execution, but still not high up on things he’d like to do. He keeps his eyes peeled for anything that looks like a good spot - lots of dead branches still trapped in trees, uneven ground, rock formations.

He pauses in a sun patch with the excuse to give himself extra time to scan his surroundings as he soaks in the tiny bit of warmth. Nothing he sees suits, though he’s been lowering his standards all afternoon. Tony breathes out a sigh, then another breath onto his fingers red and swollen with cold.

Something - instinct or paranoia  - pings down his spine. Tony rotates in a circle, evaluating the scenery from the ground to the tops of the trees. A hawk caws from above, circling high. Nothing. The forest chirps and trills and rustles as before.

Tony grabs a hefty branch, still scanning.

And the hawk circles. It’s above Tony, and continues to circle.

Tony bites back a curse and looks around anew, adrenaline pumping into his system and giving him another breath of energy. A trained hawk, most likely, with its owner sure to follow.

There was a grove of trees, tightly packed, that he’d passed not too long ago. Tony spins to run back and then stops when a woman stands in his path.

She’s dressed in greens and browns, face and hair streaked with mud. There’s a dagger on her belt, not yet drawn.

Tony raises his branch anyway. She’s just out of swinging range, she’d gotten that close to him.

“Omega Stark,” she says. Her voice is almost a purr, pitched low. “I am Natasha. I am here with Alpha Prince James.”

“Sure you are,” Tony replies, keeping his eyes on Natasha. His heart skips at Bucky’s name, but he only clenches the branch in his hands tighter. “And what does that matter?” Natasha might be telling the truth - please let her be telling the truth - but might not. It could also be a trap, set by Hammer to see if Tony would reveal the alpha father.

Natasha raises her eyebrows, showing surprise. It doesn’t look genuine to Tony, too practiced in faking his own reactions in court.

“You aren’t headed for his kingdom, to see him?” she asks. She steps into swinging range.

“You assume that I’m headed in a specific direction,” Tony deflects, his body loose and ready to move.

Natasha cocks her head and stares at him, her gaze piercing. Something is off, and not just with Natasha’s facial expression. He doesn’t know what it is, his brain feels like it’s running in circles and maybe if he wasn’t hungry and cold and - that’s it. He doesn’t know.

Natasha doesn’t have a scent under the dirt and mud that she’s rubbed on herself. She’s not an alpha, beta, or omega; she’s a null. A rare designation that leaves them without social status and so funnels nulls into becoming spies, assassins, or thieves. Without a scent, they’re nearly impossible to track and, when trained properly, rarely ever seen. But the question remains: who is Natasha working for?

“Sam! Over here,” Natasha calls out.

Tony steps back until he can see the new man approaching and Natasha without turning his back on either one.

“Redwing found him first. You definitely don’t get to claim this one!” Sam calls back. He holds out his arm, and the hawk dives down into the trees and pulls up to land on the wrist bracer.

Tony’s gaze flicks back and forth between them, and then it focuses on two men running through the trees, catching up to Sam and then bypassing him on their way to Tony. The one in front draws Tony’s attention, though, and his grip on his weapon loosens.

Bucky. Even dressed in drab grays, browns, and greens with his face streaked with mud, Tony recognizes him. For the first time since that breakfast with Hammer so long ago, Tony’s heart lifts.

Tony steps toward him, but then Natasha inserts herself in his path. Tony growls, caught off guard and unable to suppress it. She ignores Tony and holds up a hand to Bucky, who skids to a stop in front of her. Steve, Tony recognizes, is just behind Bucky.

“What?” Bucky snaps, his gaze still locked on Tony.

Tony clenches his branch tighter so that he no longer can feel his fingers trembling. The relief is overpowering, and Tony wants to collapse in Bucky’s arms and forget everything.

“We can’t be found here with your scent all over him. Wait until we cross the border,” Natasha explains.

“Get out of my way,” Bucky orders, his bright blue eyes flashing. Steve puts a restraining hand on Bucky’s shoulder that Bucky promptly shoves off.

Bucky’s gaze finally lifts from Tony to glare at Natasha and with the loss of Bucky’s hypnotizing stare, Tony feels thoughts filter back into his head. “She has a point,” he acknowledges, resigning himself.

Bucky looks back to Tony, and his gaze sets Tony alight. “I don’t care,” Bucky growls. “You’re mine.” Then Bucky pushes Natasha aside and sweeps Tony into his arms.

Tony drops his branch to be able to wrap his arms around Bucky in return. Warmth, he purrs. Bucky and warmth. Bucky squeezes Tony even tighter. If Tony could simply crawl into Bucky’s body and remain there, he would do it and be happy.

Probably a weird thought to have, but Tony’s in a weird place. Bucky came for him. Bucky looked for him, trespassing to do so. Bucky came to find him. A stupid plan. If Bucky or any of them had been caught, it would’ve had terrible consequences. It’s no less stupid of a plan than his and Bucky’s entire affair, and yet still Tony hadn’t dared to hope that Bucky would come.

“Tony…there were rumors. About you being, um, with child?” Bucky asks softly.

Tony hesitates and then nods, burying his face in Bucky’s chest.

Bucky tightens his hold on Tony and Tony almost sobs in relief.

“It’ll be okay. I got you, doll,” Bucky whispers in his ear. “I got you.”


	5. Chapter 5

Two days later, they cross the border into Bucky’s kingdom, sneaking around the guards. They have to keep quiet to avoid detection, but Bucky whispers stories of the group into Tony’s ear at night before they fall asleep.

There’s Steve, who Tony has already met, as Bucky’s personal guard follows him everywhere. Given Steve’s cold shoulder to Tony and Bucky on the way back, Tony goes ahead and assumes that Steve isn’t happy about the current situation.

Beta Sam Wilson is the trainer of the hawk, Redwing. He’s part of a ranger unit but frequently gets pulled for special assignments with Steve and Bucky, so his absence at home isn’t unusual. He’s polite enough to Tony, but he spends most of his time handling Steve.

Then, there’s Natasha, a null. She’s his father’s agent, Bucky admits without additional clarification to what she does, but she has great tracking and stealth skills that when she volunteered to help, Bucky couldn’t turn her down. She even laid a false trail for Tony that made it seem like Tony was turning and heading north, back to Stark lands.

Then she returns, and Tony admits he was more relaxed with her gone.

Bucky continues to hover over Tony as they head for the capital, which Tony doesn’t mind as much as he should. His stomach certainly appreciates the extra attention as it gets used to food again, and the added warmth from Bucky at night lets Tony sleep better than ever.

The reminder that he’s being selfish doesn’t quite go away, but Tony buries it. These moments with Bucky have always been rare, and now it’s a luxury to be able to spend entire days with Bucky. Even as they have to keep the talking to a minimum to prevent any sound from carrying, having Bucky at his side relaxes a part of Tony he hadn’t realized was tense.

Still, the end hovers over Tony’s head. When they reach the capital, everything will change again. If he gains everything he can from these moments - nipping Bucky’s fingers when Bucky tries to feed him another strip of jerky, curling up tighter against Bucky at night - it will not be enough, not ever, but it will be better than nothing.

Finally they arrive at the castle, sneaking back in around the side rather than waltzing in the front doors. Bucky shouldn’t have left, and Tony guesses officially Bucky never did. Bucky also shouldn’t bring Tony here, to the castle, but the prospect of a warm bath and soft bed has Tony swallowing the alarms in his mind.

Natasha has no problem voicing those concerns, and Bucky has no problem ignoring them, so Tony doesn’t need to say anything.

Tony stumbles behind Bucky, the dark servants’ passage not helping his already bleary vision. They’d traveled through the night, being so close and back in familiar territory - at least for the rest of the group. Still, Tony thinks the rest of the group should’ve noticed where they were headed before Tony is suddenly being pulled into a brightly lit, gilded chamber.

A chamber with  _thrones_. Occupied thrones.

Natasha hisses, venom in her voice, and Tony darts a look back to make sure she isn’t lunging for him. Her face is settled into a blank mask, and Tony second guesses what he’s heard.

“Mother, Father. May I present Omega Anthony Stark?” Bucky introduces, voice smooth. He bows and Tony hurries to follow him.

Tony comes up out of the bow and looks to Alpha King George Barnes, who is not looking back at Tony. Instead, the Alpha King is looking at the rest of the group behind them, or more specifically Natasha, Tony notices. A frightening glare from the king has Natasha bowing her head, apologetic and guilty. Tony’s mind races as his mind jumps from conclusion to conclusion.

Then Alpha King George finally levels Tony with his attention, glare still in place.

“Omega Stark,” Alpha King George says. “What a surprise.” And an unpleasant one, given his expression.

“We are glad you have been found safe and well,” Omega Queen Winnifred smoothes over, but her gaze is not warm as it takes in Tony.

“I am grateful for your well wishes,” Tony ventures carefully. “And your hospitality.” What was Bucky thinking, announcing Tony in the throne room and officially declaring Tony’s presence here? And announcing Tony after they’d been traipsing through the woods all night, not having bathed properly in days, in borrowed clothes?

“I ask for safe accommodation and asylum for Omega Stark,” Bucky declares, lips teasing into a smirk. “Here, at the capital, until such time that his circumstances have changed.”

Bucky’s parents share a look that has Tony’s heart sinking.

“I imagine Omega Stark will be eager to return to his homeland,” Omega Queen Winnifred says, soft but not apologetic.

Bucky’s eager energy evaporates. “What?”

She continues, “We are aware that his intended is anxious to see him returned, safe and well. We would be happy to deliver news of your location and imminent passage to put his worry to rest.”

“His intended,” Bucky spits, “ is a -”

“You will not speak of one of our most trusted allies this way,” King Alpha George interrupts, voice booming and drowning out the rest of Bucky’s sentence.

Silence descends throughout the room, and Tony takes note of the number of other courtiers and servants scattered throughout the throne room, observing this mess. He holds back a sigh and tilts his chin up as he addresses the monarchs. He doesn’t dare to glance at Bucky.

“I am grateful for the peace that has always existed between our two kingdoms. I would hate to be a disruption,” Tony says, measured and sure. “I would ask for the ability to craft a private message to my intended, to go with the news of my location.” He didn’t have anything he wanted to say to Hammer, but at least he’d know the precise moment that the message left the castle.

Bucky shoulders jerk out of the corner of Tony’s eye.

Tony’s easy acceptance is rewarded with a small smile from the Omega Queen. “It shall be done. And before your own departure back to your home, please accept our full hospitality.”

Tony bows again. “Your kindness is appreciated.” He then turns, sensing the dismissal.

“Omega Stark is pregnant,” Bucky declares. “The child is mine.”

Tony stills, dread rising up his chest like nausea.

Bucky takes the half-step needed to be beside Tony, and grabs Tony’s wrist. Tony can’t put together the motions to pull away as Bucky raises his wrist and kisses the skin over his pulse point. In the throne room, with countless witnesses, and no way it isn’t getting back to Hammer, Tony notes faintly. “Any offspring of mine should be raised here, in the castle, in our lands. Not in an ally’s territory, no matter how trusted,” Bucky argues.

“Oh?” King Alpha George challenges. “You are so sure that the child is yours?”

Tony feels the question like a punch to the chest but takes care not to show it on his face. Bucky stills next to him, and Tony is afraid to breathe.

“Do you have proof?” King Alpha George presses, his face blank. At least he doesn’t enjoy humiliating people, Tony notes while numb. This is to protect his kingdom and that makes him a good king, Tony reminds himself, even if Tony had dared to hope for an easy salvation when Bucky had appeared in the forest. “Your reputation precedes you, Omega Stark. You seem to have many alpha friends, and particularly the captain of your guard.”

There is no proof. There are ways to confirm that an omega is pregnant, but not to confirm the alpha. An unfair loophole, Tony thinks, as he is dismissed from the throne room. He focuses on putting one foot in front of the other, head still held high as whispers follow his exit.

Bucky remains behind, his raised voice echoing until it’s cut off by the king.

“This way,” Natasha directs, motioning toward the left as Tony finally makes it out.

Tony silently tails her as he tries to compose another plan. If Natasha is leading Tony to his death, than none of this matters. Otherwise, can he escape from the castle and still disappear on a ship bound out to the sea? Or will Hammer declare war for suspecting that Bucky helped Tony escape? Will Hammer do that anyway since Bucky is claiming to be the father of his intended’s child?

“Is this when you kill me?” Tony finally decides to ask, sick of his own thoughts. “Lock me in the dungeon, or toss me off a tower, or -”

“As you have been publically found, it is our duty - my duty - to see that you return home,” Natasha explains as takes another corner. “Alive,” she adds.

“Ah, yes. Bucky’s performance means that you can’t kill me now,” Tony says, wishing he was happier about this prospect. Now he has to return to Hammer and at the very least his child will be killed. “You must be so disappointed.”

Natasha doesn’t even twitch. “Do you accuse every null you come across as trying to kill you?”

“Only those whose job it is to kill me before I’m found by the Prince,” Tony tosses out, waiting for any kind of reaction from Natasha. “Does Bucky know about your order from the king? I’m guessing not. And I guess I should get some treats for Sam’s bird because if he hadn’t found me I’d probably be dead in a ditch rather than here in the castle causing trouble, hm?”

Natasha takes another corner so suddenly that Tony misses it and has to backtrack.

“Here is your room,” Natasha says as she gestures to the door. “Someone will be by shortly to resolve any requests you may have. As Omega Queen said, you have their full hospitality during your short time here before returning home. Alpha Thor Odinson,” Natasha introduces, nodding to the muscular blonde standing there, “will make sure you’re undisturbed.”

“Or make sure I don’t try to leave?” Tony hazards as he eyes Thor’s biceps.

“Of  course you may leave your chambers,” Thor says with an easy smile. “I will be happy to accompany you anywhere on the grounds.”

“Great,” Tony replies with a twisted smile. “My endless gratitude.”

Natasha has already disappeared. Tony shivers and then enters into the chambers.

Still, a hot bath and fresh clothes put Tony into a better mood. He can almost forget the humiliation back in the throne room. Now, how does he escape without casting suspicion onto Bucky or any of his family?

A knock on the door, and Tony sighs before composing himself. He opens it to find a frowning Thor, an angry Bucky, and an exasperated Steve.

“Omega Stark, Alpha Prince James wishes to enter,” Thor gravely informs Tony.

Tony lifts an eyebrow.

“If you are uncomfortable by his presence, then I shall happily keep him at bay,” Thor explains.

Tony looks at Bucky and can’t hold back the smirk dancing at the corner of his lips. “Uncomfortable isn’t the right word for it,” Tony says, working to keep his face blank. “Thanks but Alpha Prince James is cleared for entry.”

Tony stands to the side and lets Bucky pass inside. “You coming too, Alpha Rogers?” Tony asks sweetly.

“No,” Steve sighs. “I have to go make it look like Bucky locked himself in his own room.”

“Have fun with that,” Tony offers before he closes the door. “I’m guessing you aren’t supposed to be here,” Tony observes as he turns to face Bucky.

Even with their journey in the woods, this is the first time in three months that they’ve been alone together. Bucky sweeps Tony into his arms, and Tony melts. Bucky has not bathed or even changed clothes yet, but Tony clutches at him anyway.

“I can’t send you back. I can’t. I won’t,” Bucky whispers into Tony’s hair.

“You told everyone where I was. You told your  _parents_. What were you expecting?” Tony asks with a bitter laugh.

“I didn’t want to dance around this. I’m tired of the lying and the secrets. You’re finally here, finally can be mine. I didn’t…” Buck gulps. “I didn’t expect them to react like that.”

“Bucky…” Tony sighs.

“I’m sorry, doll,” Bucky says and lays a kiss on top of Tony’s head. “I swear they’re not usually like that. They’ll grow to love you, I’m sure of it.”

“Bucky…”

“Don’t give up,” Bucky warns, drawing back to look at Tony’s face.

Tony licks his lips. “Maybe we should make the most of the time we have left, yeah? The bed looks comfy.” He’d thought his time with Bucky had already expired when Hammer had wanted to move up the wedding. All of this, every second more, is a bonus. Don’t be selfish, Tony reminds himself. Don’t be selfish - well, more selfish than he’s already been.

Bucky steps back from Tony. “You’re giving up? Now? When we’re finally together again?”

The rejection and building anxiety - how much time do they have left before someone discovers them? - make Tony’s words harsher than he intends. “For how long? You’re the idiot who announced to everyone that I was here!”

“What else was I supposed to do? Hide you away forever?”

“Yes! Or sneak me out on one of your ships, or let me live in the woods, or something, anything else.”

“Sneak…?” Bucky asks, his gaze piercing. “Do any of your genius plans have us staying together?”

Tony swipes his hand through the air. “Can you change my name, face, and entire history? You’re a prince, act like one! In what situation do we ever end up together that doesn’t lead to war?”

Bucky barks out a harsh laugh. “You sound like my father,” he comments, his voice strangled. He turns away completely, his back to Tony.

Tony waits, counting his heartbeats. He wants to reach out a hand, he wants to touch. Bucky’s back is too rigid, Bucky’s body too still. Tony stops himself from moving. He recognizes the start of the end, and he doesn’t want to make it harder on Bucky.

Bucky turns back around, his face blank. “It is my child, isn’t it?”

Tony flinches, unprepared for Bucky’s doubt. Unable to answer, he stares as Bucky scoffs and walks toward the writing desk in the corner.

“War is coming for my people either way,” Bucky explains, voice flat. “It’s why my parents are so keen on not upsetting Alpha King Justin. We need the alliance. The tribes in the southern desert are finally managing to band together, and one of our spies just returned an hour ago with this.”

Bucky tosses a pouch onto the desk and it lands with a soft smack. His eyes meet Tony’s for only a moment before Bucky looks away and heads for the door.

“I wanted you with me, at my side, facing this. That was  _my_ plan.” Bucky opens the door. “Careful,” he tosses over his shoulder, but not meeting Tony’s gaze. “I’ve heard that has some nasty effects when mixed with fire.”

Tony stares at the door for a moment, with it now closed and Bucky on the other side. Knowing the end had to come, that it was coming, that the end is now here, hasn’t made Tony more prepared for dealing with it. He rubs his chest where it aches, his airway tightening on each breath. He focuses on Bucky’s parting gift so that he doesn’t do something stupid, like cry.

“Well, kid. What do you think your father left for us to play with?” Tony muses as he opens the pouch.

Tony discovers a light gray powder that’s coarse to the touch. When he sprinkles some of it onto a lit candle, the flame jumps high and scorches his fingers.

“Well then.”

Tony throws a small handful of it into the hot coals in the fireplace. The powder catches fire instantly, erupting into a large, bright flame before it dies out.

Tony’s mind races. Since when have the southern tribes been gathering? Why Bucky’s territory? How has he not heard of this? His own kingdom needs to be warned, and his own lands need to prepare for the influx of demands of armory and weapons to defend their border - and Bucky’s borders, in kind, given their alliance.

He stops himself from throwing another handful into the fireplace, just to see, because he will need the rest to practice and fiddle with. He will need to design defenses against it and weapons using it. He will need to figure out how to make it, he needs to talk to Obie.

At least, with war on the horizon, there will not be time for a wedding.

Thor is the best, Tony quickly decides. Rather than wait for Bucky to come back - because who has time for that and what if Bucky just doesn’t? - Tony had opened his door and asked politely if Thor would take him to see Alpha Prince Bucky.

Thor happily agreed to escort Tony, and now Tony doesn’t need to try to sneak around a foreign castle trying to find Bucky and probably run into one of Natasha’s knives. There’s a reason Bucky had always snuck around to see Tony, rather than vice versa.

Thor nods and smiles to everyone they pass in the hallways, while Tony does his best not to make eye contact with a single person while still keeping his head up. No doubt everyone in the castle has heard about him and that meeting in the throne room by now. His hands drifts to his stomach before he forces them back to his side.

“Here we are,” Thor announces. He knocks on a door flanked by two other guards.

Steve cracks the door open and loud voices drift out into the hall. Steve’s eyes widen as he takes in Tony. “Uh, now might not be the best time…”

“Who is it?” Bucky yells from inside.

“Omega Stark requests an audience with Alpha Prince James,” Thor booms back before Steve can stop him.

“Request denied,” a woman’s voice calls back.

“These are my rooms, I’ll choose who I’ll have in them,” Bucky replies, his voice getting louder. Then Bucky replaces Steve and opens the door wide. “Audience granted,” he says, his gaze stripping Tony. His face is flushed, his muscles tense, and yet he offers Tony a small smile. “Tony. Come in.”

Tony enters, drawing a large breath, to find Steve shaking his head and Omega Queen Winnifred standing in the doorway to a further room. If her gaze in the throne room was unwelcoming, this one is frigid.

Tony bows, his heart racing.

“Well, Omega Stark? For what purpose do you seek a private audience with my son?” she asks.

Tony turns from her and faces Bucky, cutting his losses with Bucky’s parents. He gestures to the pouch tied to his belt with the blasting powder Bucky gave him. “I opened your gift. It’s really something. We’re all in trouble unless…” Tony licks his lips, tries again. “I can serve you better not at your side. I need to go back to my lands, prepare the forges. Work with it and get you defenses against it and weapons using it.”

Bucky’s face falls, just a moment before he closes it off. “I understand.”

“With this news, there’s no time for a wedding. Maybe… maybe things can change,” he offers. Weak. Selfish. Coward. Tony’s brain hisses at him as he looks at Bucky’s face. This has to be the end, and yet Tony can’t help but hope.

“Our answer coming from Stark lands? That is convenient,” the queen snorts.

Tony’s spine straightens. “Excuse me, Your Majesty?”

The door swings open and King Alpha George strides through. “I should’ve known Omega Stark would end up here. At least this is the more proper place for a row. Rogers, out.”

Tony notes Steve look for confirmation from Bucky - receiving a small nod - before Steve closes the door, leaving himself on the other side.

“This is what it should’ve been to begin with, rather than that scene you threw this morning,” the king levels at Bucky.

“Some things shouldn’t be hidden anymore,” Bucky replies, and stands next to Tony.

“I absolutely agree with you. Omega Stark, would you like to start the confessions?” the king asks.

“Is there something specific you would like me to confess to?” Tony asks. He had, at several points, drafted a marriage proposal in his head to beg these two to let Bucky marry him. Clearly he’d been deluding himself when he thought he might have had a chance.

“How about why the southern tribes have Stark weapons?” the king returns, the same blue eyes that Bucky possesses burning a hole in Tony’s soul.

“They don’t,” Tony fires back.

“I trust my sources far more than I trust an ambitious snake like you,” the king replies.

“Your sources are misinformed. We don’t trade with the tribes,” Tony defends.

“Neither of you told me this,” Bucky exclaims, looking from his father to his mother, but puts his hand on Tony’s shoulder.

“You’re compromised,” the queen replies, nodding to Tony. “You wouldn’t listen then, and you’re not listening now. The only one benefiting from this mess is Stark.” She turns to her alpha. “He graciously offered to provide us with weapons and defense.”

The king snorts. “And what price will we be expected to pay, I wonder? History will not look kindly upon you,” he declares with a glare at Tony.

“Enough! You two are the ones who aren’t listening!” Bucky shouts. His hand squeezes down on Tony’s shoulder, and Tony wonders if he can feel the slight tremble in Tony’s body.

“Open your eyes, son,” the king says. “Recognize ambition and manipulation. He’s on the brink of instigating a war that will let him sell weapons to both sides. He is the chosen mate of a king, and yet he plays with you. To what end, except to make you loyal to him and his weapons?”

“Tony can help us. Especially with that powder,” Bucky starts.

“Do not speak of it,” the king warns as he eyes Tony.

Tony waits, but Bucky doesn’t inform his father that he already gave Tony a sample of it. Tony hopes they don’t notice the pouch of it attached to his belt.

“So, Omega Stark, do you have anything to confess?” the king mocks.

A mix of hot and cold rushes through Tony’s body, but he holds back the shaking. Instead, he smiles. “Nothing that you would believe from my lips,” he says lightly. Then he continues, strengthening his voice. “But here it is anyway: I confess that I’m in love with your son. That is why I had an affair despite being promised to another, and why I am carrying his child. There should be no Stark-forged weapons in the south. If your spies speak true, then I must find the traitor. I want to avoid war, not cause it. Stark lands are rich and fertile enough. We don’t need to spill blood for profit.”

“A pretty speech,” the king returns, unmoved.

“Return me to my lands, and I will prove my ‘pretty’ speech true.” Before, he had wanted nothing more than to leave his lands and kingdom behind. Now, when he wants to return, would be the time for Bucky’s parents to decide not to help get Tony back home.

The king and queen share a long glance.

“Then prepare for your departure,” the king decides.

Within the hour, a messenger is dispatched to Alpha King Justin declaring Tony’s journey and estimated time of arrival, and the very next morning, Tony leaves the castle with a contingent of guards. Tony had meant ‘return me to Stark lands,’ but he’d been overruled and would be returned to Hammer directly. That doesn’t work for him and his plans, but now he has thousands witnessing him leaving the castle under the order of the Alpha King and Omega Queen so they should appear blameless when he disappears again.

Tony’s mind raced with his list of things to do. He needs to talk to Obie about searching out the traitors in his lands, and he also needs to get Obie on board with producing the blasting powder and generating defenses against it. Then, as breakfast of yogurt and apples reminded him, he needs to figure out where those figs came from. The drier desert climate would yield plenty of figs, but Tony needs more proof than Hammer blathering on about new opportunities while trying to seduce Tony with rare fruit. If Hammer had opened negotiations with the southern tribes, then did he already know about the attack on Bucky’s kingdom? Did Hammer have a hand in it?

Tony, impatient, slips his guard detail after a half-day. He’s sure he’s slipped the guards - Bucky and Steve taught him a few tricks - but then a familiar hawk circles above his head.

“Am I in trouble?” Tony asks when the group of them catch up to him, Sam leading.

“Yes,” Bucky says, walking right up to Tony. “I said I wasn’t letting you go.”

“Figured that one wouldn’t let you out of the castle,” Tony says, nodding at Natasha.

“The king will be displeased, but Bucky agreed that I get to end your life if you move to harm him,” Natasha informs him dully.

Tony hums. “She’s fun. I can see why you brought her.”

“Ooh, I like this one! He’s funny,” chimes in a man that Tony hadn’t yet met. One who is very well tanned for being so late in the fall season, and Tony suspects the desert sun was involved.

“That’s Clint. Ignore him,” Bucky says with a grin.

“Spy?” Tony asks, eyebrow raised. It would be good to question Clint over what he saw concerning how the tribes were using the blasting powder.  

“Don’t give him too much credit,” Sam grumbles as he watches his hawk, Redwing, soar farther west. “We should get moving in case someone noticed Redwing’s movements.”

“Aw, Sammy. Don’t be sore just because my eyes are trusted more than your fat pigeon’s.”

Steve rolls his eyes and moves to lead, Sam and Clint squabbling behind him,  but Tony hangs back with Bucky for a moment. Natasha keeps her eye on them as she slowly trudges on.

“Your parents are going to kill me when they notice you missing,” Tony worries. “They already hate me and think I’m a traitor.”

“I believe you when you say you aren’t a traitor,” Bucky says, and something in Tony’s chest loosens. “I’m here to help you prove it. And because I happen to love you too, you know.”

Tony ducks his head and starts following the rest of the group. “Oh, do I know? You could stand to say it a few more times, that is if it’s true and everything.”

Bucky tugs him back, all the way, until Tony falls into Bucky’s chest. One of Bucky’s hands rests on Tony’s stomach which is becoming more and more pronounced each day. “For me to do that, you’d have to stick around,” Bucky whispers.

Tony swallows. “I could do that,” he offers.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Tony confirms.

Bucky rewards him with a deep, searing kiss that warms Tony from the inside out.

“Gentlemen? If you could, we have a war to prevent,” Natasha says. Her voice is low because she’s walked back to stand right next to them.

Tony startles, but Bucky keeps a hold of him. “Let’s get moving then,” Bucky says with a grin. He nips a kiss at Tony’s throat, where in the future Bucky’s mark might (will) go. “We have a traitor to find, a war to stop, and a wedding to plan. Our wedding,” he clarifies. “Hopefully before we’re sleepless parents, too.”

Tony grins so hard it hurts. Then he turns to Natasha. “As a clarification, if I bite him in return would that fall under the ‘hurting Bucky, can kill Tony now,’ agreement?” Tony asks.

Natasha growls, and Tony scurries forward with an even wider grin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...and done! Off they go to defeat the bad guys, stop a war, and live happily ever after :D
> 
> Many thanks to polizwrites (tumblr) / Politzania (AO3) for being a wonderful beta (and writer, go check their stuff!), and to the anon who submitted the prompt to imaginetonyandbucky. And thank you, the reader, for sticking with this story all the way to the end. <3


End file.
